Second Place
by musicprincess1990
Summary: "'It's okay,' he said suddenly. 'I always knew I'd come second to him.'" Companion to 7 Years. Harry's not actually in the story, but since it implies Harmony, apparently that means it has to be here.


A/N: Just a little "behind the scenes" moment that I wanted to include, but couldn't put in the original story, since it's entirely in Harry's POV. But it's important, so here it is: Hermione's feelings as she and Ron wait for Harry.

* * *

><p>His hands were clasped around mine, rubbing soothing circles on them. It felt nice, but it was rather ineffective. Nothing could calm me right now. Nothing could make me feel any better. Nothing, except seeing <em>his<em> face.

Harry had gone missing for almost twenty minutes. I was afraid... no, I couldn't think about it. Harry was _fine_. He would be absolutely fine. We would see him soon, and we'd talk about what we should do, and we'd figure everything out. That's what we always did, and that's what we were going to do today.

_We'll figure it out_, I thought desperately.

"Hermione, you're shaking," Ron commented, brushing the hair from my eyes.

I realized that I was, in fact, trembling uncontrollably. "I-I just..." What could I say? "I'm just scared"? Well, obviously! We were all scared, we had all faced horrors and unbearable trials today. We'd all lost loved ones. Ron had lost his _brother_. Sure, that hurt me as well, but I knew my parents were safe, having forgotten about me, by my own doing. They were safe. I couldn't exactly relate to him.

"It's okay," he said suddenly. "I always knew I'd come second to him."

_What?_ "Ron, I—"

"You don't have to say anything," he assured me. "I get it. I haven't always been the best friend I could have been. You and Harry have been practically inseparable since the day we saved you from the troll. So... I guess it makes sense that you would be closer to him than me." Ron shrugged his shoulders. "I can't really blame you."

"Wait... you think I..."

I couldn't finish the sentence, for even as I began to say it, in a tone of incredulity, I realized it was true. I thought back to the dance in the tent, just months earlier. How safe I'd felt in Harry's arms, and that strange impulse I'd felt... I had wanted to kiss him. At the time, I told myself it was just the stress of the situation, and the desperate, inherent need for human contact. I brushed it aside, and went back into my bubble of depression. From that moment on, when thoughts of Ron came, they came by force. I had to consciously tell myself to think about him.

"Oh, my God," I breathed, my eyes wandering, unfocused and unseeing. "I love him. I love Harry."

Ron sighed. "Yeah, I know."

I looked up at him, guilty tears forming. "Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry, I—"

He shook his head. "Don't be. It's not something you can control."

"But... just now, in the Chamber..." I struggled to put my thoughts into words, so that he could understand. "I did _feel_... I... I love you too, Ron."

His eyes grew sad. "But you love Harry more."

"Ron—"

"Listen to me," he said, leaning closer. "At this point, as long as we get out of here alive, I don't care what happens. Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy." I was touched by this sentence, and bit my lip to force back the tears. "Just know that I love you, and... if you wanted... later on... I'd like to marry you."

I gasped. "You... want to marry me?"

"You make your choice," he said. "Mine's already made. Now it's your turn."

How on earth could I choose? In front of me was the boy I'd pined for, the one I'd kissed just a few hours ago. The one who had more or less just _proposed_ to me. But he was right; I did love Harry, and that love was deeper than I could ever have imagined. Just the thought of him being... being... not with us... it nearly tore me apart. I couldn't stand to be without him.

I couldn't live without him.

I started at the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs behind us. We both turned around, and my heart raced with relief.

_Harry_.

* * *

><p>AN: Not so awesome ending, but I didn't particularly want to write down Hermione's thoughts as she breaks down in front of both the men she loves. That's just a little too... real for me. Just remember that she says, "I couldn't live without him," and there you go. That's why she says she'll go with Harry. 'Nuff said. Reviews = Love!

2nd A/N: I just want to say that, those of you who have left those annoying hate-reviews, GROW UP AND GET THE %*$& OVER IT! If you don't like it, you don't have to read it! I'm not forcing you! I've changed the main characters from Ron and Hermione to Harry and Hermione-even though HARRY DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP UNTIL THE BLOODY END OF THE STORY!-and now, I would greatly appreciate if all you hating Heron fans would GET OFF MY BACK!


End file.
